Vacuum cleaners are available in a wide variety of designs and features. One common feature of a vacuum cleaner is a nozzle including a rotating brushroll. The brushroll is generally formed of a cylinder including bristles or tufts extending from the cylinder. When rotated, the bristles or tufts contact the underlying surface and operate to loosen and/or lift dirt and debris. Consequently, the dirt or debris is more readily pulled into a nozzle of the vacuum cleaner.
The brushroll is powered by a motor. In some vacuum cleaners, the motor is dedicated to powering the brushroll. Alternatively, the motor can also power other vacuum cleaner components, such as a blower motor, drive wheels, etc.
The brushroll is desirably rotated without any slippage. However, in some situations it is desirable that slippage occurs, such as when the brushroll encounters an obstacle. In addition, it is desirable that the rotation of the brushroll can be activated and deactivated, at the election of the user. As a result, some prior art vacuum cleaners have included a mechanical clutch or other power transmission device that allows some slippage when the brushroll is prevented from turning. However, the prior art mechanical clutch devices are complex, heavy, and expensive. Alternatively, some prior art vacuum cleaners provide the ability to disengage or otherwise stop the agitator brush by providing a dedicated electric motor and control switch. This prior art approach also adds increased design complexity, weight, and cost.